Further aspects of the disclosure herein relate to a method for producing a plastic work piece and a system for applying a film to a plastic work piece that is to be cured, in particular in an autoclave. An application of this kind is typically referred to as a transfer. As an alternative to curing in an autoclave, however, the film may also be provided for the curing of a plastic work piece in an oven or for curing in another manner.
The background of the present disclosure is the production of plastic work pieces or plastic components, in particular components made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, which must be cured in an autoclave during production. In order to produce plastic work pieces of this kind, the plastic or a plastic fiber mixture must first be applied to a base member, which is referred to as a production device, in an uncured state. Before the as yet uncured plastic work piece, which has been applied to the base member, can be subjected to a specific pressure and a specific temperature for curing in an autoclave, the free surface, which is to say, the surface that does not fit against the base member, must first be overlaid with a film in order to protect and maintain the shape of the uncured plastic or, respectively, the free surface thereof during treatment in the autoclave, wherein the film separates the atmosphere that is within the film facing the plastic work piece from the atmosphere within the autoclave that is outside of the film facing away from the plastic work piece. If the film has been applied, the plastic work piece can be treated in the autoclave.
Different methods of applying the film to the plastic work piece are known from the prior art. According to one method, a plastically deformable film is applied to a plastic work piece in a thermoforming process, wherein the film is plastically deformed so that it fits tightly against the plastic work piece. Such a method is complex, however, since molding dies must be used therefor, which are associated with substantial expenses, such as for space, personnel and time, in particular in the case of large components such as are common in the field of aviation. In addition, the films, which are plastically deformed in a thermoforming process, cannot be used in re-use applications, which would be essentially desirable from an economic and ecological standpoint.
According to another method, a film is applied to a plastic work piece in that the film is cast or placed over the plastic work piece and subsequently sealed with respect to the base member, for example by clamping. In so doing, depending on the geometry of the plastic work piece, as a rule it is not possible to prevent the formation of wrinkles in the film with respect to the plastic work piece and with respect to the base member, which wrinkles must be individually sealed by hand in a time consuming manner. In addition, in this way, it is nearly impossible that the film will fit tightly and uniformly against all sides of the plastic work piece, which is also desirable.